"Roots In Kashmir" is an initiative launched by us, the Kashmiri Pandit Youth, to reclaim our Roots that identify us. Even though we have been hounded out of our homes and hearths in the Kashmir valley, our "Roots" are very much anchored in the Vitasta Valley. This is an initiative to protest and raise the general awareness of public to a level where our "fight for our roots" is felt, heard and acted upon.
www.rootsinkashmir.org

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Truth Truimphs at Last......

Demonstrators dance during victory celebrations in Jammu August 31, 2008. Hindus in Indian Kashmir called off their two-month protest after the government allowed them temporary use of land at the centre of a religious row for an annual pilgrimage, officials said on Sunday.REUTERS/Amit Gupta

Demonstrators hold India's national flags during the victory celebrations procession in Jammu August 31, 2008. Hindus in Indian Kashmir called off their two-month protest after the government allowed them temporary use of land at the centre of a religious row for an annual pilgrimage, officials said on Sunday.REUTERS/Amit Gupta

Demonstrators shout during victory celebrations in Jammu August 31, 2008. Hindus in Indian Kashmir called off their two-month protest after the government allowed them temporary use of land at the centre of a religious row for an annual pilgrimage, officials said on Sunday.REUTERS/Amit Gupta

A child joins Hindu protestors who celebrate in Jammu, India, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. Hindus on Sunday suspended their two-month-old protest over allotment of land to a Hindu trust to build facilities for pilgrims in the Indian portion of Kashmir, which triggered some of the worst violence in the region in more than a decade, officials said.(AP Photo/Channi Anand)

This is in response to various elements particularly some elements from the Pandit community who are trying to distort the facts, by trying to say that their migration is a “Supreme” sacrifice. Firstly the movement of the Kashmiri Pandits is known as “Migration”, which literally means to move from one place to another voluntarily, by one’s own free will, in no dictionary could I find that migration could be forced. This is stated by the Government of India when referring to the Kashmir Pandits who moved from Kashmir during early 90’s. Now I want to your attention towards history; looking down at history it is said that the Afghan rule in Kashmir can be said as most tyrant to the pandit community. During the rule of Afghans Pandits were killed ruthlessly, they were humiliated, religious festival like Shivratri was banned, but not many Pandits chose to “migrate”, though there was an departure of Pandits, but it was not on a massive scale, as seen in early 90’s. Yet another reason given is that there was an ethnic cleansing of the Pandit community. But ethnic cleansing means killing large number of people, belonging to a particular community, so that their number becomes paltry. But nothing of sorts happened in Kashmir. Not more than 50 Pandits were killed during the 90’s. Some Pandits usually claim that death threats were issued to the Pandit community, either to leave Kashmir or get prepared to die, but this is totally false. If such threats were issued, then the miniscule population of Pandits left in Kashmir would have been slaughtered, but nothing like this has ever happened.The Pandits left Kashmir on the behest of Governor Jagmohan, who wanted to start an ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Muslim’s so that Kashmir would be “Indianised”. The Kashmir Pandits left Kashmir voluntarily, on their own free will, nobody forced them to. Now they are trying to create misconcepts and distort facts. Such things cannot be tolerated. I am amazed by the fact that no Pandit brother has the courage to come forward and speak the truth.Please visit www.timezofkashmir.blogspot.com to know the truth